The Caruthers Blue Raiders had the unenviable task of facing an up-and-coming Madera South Stallions baseball team to open the Stallions’ season last week.
The Stallions put 11 runs on the board in the first inning and followed that up with 10 runs in the second inning for a 21-0 victory Thursday at Eddie Chapa Field.
On top of banging out 11 hits, the Stallions took advantage of 11 Caruthers errors that led to 10 unearned runs.
Brian Monges was 4-for-4 with four runs scored from the lead-off spot. Every player for the Stallions either got a hit or scored a run but one player in the game.
Murf Gray led the team with three RBI’s. Xavier Cantu drove in two with a double; Anthony Gamiz drove in two without the benefit of a hit. Jonathan Spraggins also drove in two runs without a hit and also scored two runs. No. 9 batter Elijah Tang was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs.
Jair Alvarez picked up the win for the Stallions. He tossed three perfect innings with five strikeouts. Jorge Gutierrez allowed the Blue Raiders’ lone hit and struck out two in his inning of work. Jasir Alvarez also struck out two in an inning.
The Stallions sent 18 batters to the plate in thse first inning. With one out, Xavier Cantu started a streak of nine straight batters reaching base by getting hit by a pitch.
An error, and a walk loaded the bases. Gamiz, Spraggins and Gilbert Moisa each drove in a run with a walk. Tang drove in two with a single. Murf Gray singled home Tang and Monges with a single.
After Cantu stopped the run with a flyout, the next four batters reached base to score another run. In the 11-run inning, the Stallions only had four hits, but were walked five times, were hit by a pitch twice and reached on an error three times.
In the second, Madera South sent 15 batters to the plate with the first 13 batters reaching base safely.
Cantu had the big hit with a two-run double. However, Madera South only had five hits in the inning to go with two walks, a hit batter and four runners reaching base by an error.
Madera South played Monday at Selma and plays Saturday at Liberty at 11 a.m.